Middlings-purifier



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Middlings Purifier No. 237,348. Patented Feb. 1, 18 1..

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MIDDLINGS-PURIFIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,348, dated February1, 1881.

Application filed May 18,1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, NICOLAS WEBER and GEORGEH. Rno'ron, of La Porte, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana,have invented certain Improvements in Middlings- Purifiers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of middlings-purifiers in which aseries of horizontal screens are attached to and rotate about a verticalshaft within a casing. communicating with a fan-chest; and theimprovements consist in imparting to said screens a vibratory motionsimultaneous with their rotation 5 in a peculiar construction andarrangement of mechanism for producing such motion and in the generalconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a faceelevation of ourimproved machine; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same Fig. 3. avertical central section on the line y y of Fig. 4 5 and Fig. 4, ahorizontal section on the line as w of Fig. 3, looking downward.

The primary object of our invention is to more perfectly separate thefibrous particles, dust, and impurities from middlings, and in doing soto render the action of the machine more rapid and uniform. To this endit is necessary that the rate of feed, the draft through the respectivesieves or screens, and'tlle speed of their rotation shall be undercomplete control; and it is further necessary that the middlings besubjected'to a sifting or shaking action, in orderto loosen the puremiddlings and permit the separation thereof from the other mattersmixedtherewith. To accomplishthis object we construct ourimprovedmachinein the following manner, more clearly understood byreferring to the drawings.

First, we construct a rectangular or other shaped frame, A, of wood orother suitable material, and place within said frame a cylindrical orannular casing, B, preferably of sheet metal, the frame A beingfurnished with a base or bottom platform, 0, upon which the cylinderrests, and an upper platform, I), which serves both as a top for thecylinder and a support or bed for the feed hopper, ainspout, andfan-case, respectively lettered O, N, and E. Within the cylinder B, andextending through the platfroms a b, is a vertical central shaft, F,turning atits lower extremity upon a point or center, as shown in Figs.2 and 3, and furnished just below the platform a with a speed or conepulley, c.

Gr G represent spider-frames, each composed of a central hub or bosssecured to the shaft and furnished with .a seriesof radial arms,

fromwhich to suspend the sieves or screens H H. The sieves or screens Hconsist each of bolting-cloth stretched in an annular frame or rim,which latter is supported and sustained by radial arms extending outwardfrom a central boss, d, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The boss. or hub clof each screen or sieve is formed or provided with a neck, 6, thepurpose of which will be presently explained.

At one side-of the machine and carried in suitable bearings is, avertical shaft, I, provided at its lower end with a speed or conepulley, f, from which a belt passes to and around the pulley c of shaftF, to transmit motion from one to the other. Upon this shaft I aresecured, at elevations corresponding with the positions ofthe screens,eccentricsJ, which, through the medium of pitmen or rods K, havingstraps or bands on their opposite ends to encircle, respectively, theeccentrics J and the necks eof the screenhubs d, impart to the screens avibrating motion, the necks or collars 6 being, however, free to turn inthe encircling-bands, and thus permit the simultaneous rotation andvibration of the screens. Each screen H is mounted in an independentair-chamber, L, formedbythe sides of the casing B, a diaphragm, 9, belowthe. screen, and a slatted diaphragm, M, above the screen, as

shown in. Fig. 3, and each of said chambersv L communicates, by asuitable passage or spout, It, with an air-duct or spout, N, which, inturn, communicates with the fan-case E, in which is: mounted asuction-fan, 0, air being allowed to enter the casing through openings'6, just below each screen.

In order that the draft of air may be regulated with nicety in eachchamber [1, a slatted or grated cut-off slide, M, is placed upon eachdiaphragm M, and furnished with a rod or handle, 3', extending outwardthrough the casing, by which the size of the openings may be varied atwill, or by which said openings 2' eaaaas may be entirely closed, theair-spout N communicating with the chambers just above the severalslatted diaphragms, as shown in Fig. 3.

Beneath each screen there is secured, upon the shaft F, a smoothhorizontal disk, P, upon which falls the material which passes throughthe screen, the material being thrown outward by centrifugal force tothe circumference of the disk and discharged through a spout or chute,D, at one side of the casin g. The disks P should be of such size as totravel closely within the casing, in order that the material may notfall over the edge, except at the delivery-poin t.

The unpurified or stock middlings enter at the top of the machinethrough a feed-spout or hopper, O, the inner end of which opens into theside of a tube or spout, Q, passing through the upper diaphragm, M, andencircling the shaft F, as shown, leaving, however, an annular spacebetween its interior and the shaft for the passage of the material. Inorder that the feed may be regulated and controlled, a second tube, B,is arranged to encircle the tube or spout Q, and to slide freelythereon, being raised or lowered, as desired, by means of a rod, K,passing through and rocking in the wall of the casing B, which serves asa fulcrum for the rod, the outer end of the latter being held at anypoint of adjustment by means of a rack, S, secured to the frame. Aspout, T, leads from the upper side of the upper screen to the upperside of the next screen below, in order to subject the material whichfails to pass through the first screen or to be drawn off by theair-current to the action of the second screen, the spout T beingcarried inward to the center of the latter to cause the material totravel over its entire surface, as indicated in Fig. 4, and by dottedlines in Fig. 1. A pulley on the upper end of the shaft I transmitsmotion to a pulley on the fan-shaft through a belt, as shown.

In the drawings the screens arerepresented as suspended from thespider-frames G G by means of rings; but chains, cords, springs, or

any other flexible suspension devices may be employed. A narrow ledge orflange, l, is placed beneath the outer edge of each screen to preventescape of material or passage of air, and the same may be provided forthe disks P.

The air spout or duct Nis furnished just 7 above the lowertailings-spout with a valve or slide, U, by which a stronger or weakercurrent of air may be admitted at its lower end, and the tailings thussubjected to reseparation.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The stock-middlin gs,entering at the top of the machine through the hopper and tube Q, fallupon the upper screen, H, which, being rapidly revolved and at the sametime reciprocated, thoroughly sifts the middlings, allowingthe puremiddlings to pass through the screen and fall upon the disk P. Infalling from the tube or spout Q the material is acted upon by thecurrent of air which enters through the sides of the casing, passesupward through the screen and into the fan case or box, and the airfurther acts upon the material as it travels over the screen, removingall the light fibrous particles, and carrying them through the fan-caseto the dustroom. The middlings which pass through the screen aredischarged through a spout, D, of which there is one on line with eachdisk 1?, by the centrifugal action of the disk. The tailings aredischarged at the circumference of the screen into a spout, T, whichconducts them to the center of the next lower screen, by which they areagain acted upon, the tailings passing out through a spout,V, openinginto the air-spout or duct N, near the lower end, and being theresubjected to a reseparation by a current of air passing up said duct andcontrolled by the slide U. The finished middlings falling upon thesecond disk 1?, are discharged, as above, through a spout, D, while thelight particles are carried into the air-duct, as before. The purifiedmiddlings may be conveyed either to stones for regrinding or to a bin,as desired.

The relative speeds of the shafts F and I and of the fan-shaft may bevaried by shifting the belt on the pulleys cf.

Any desired number of screens may be employed, in which case thenecessary attendant parts will of course be employed; but thearrangement will be the same as above.

Openings are formed in the sides of the casing just above each screen,through which to examine the latter, but these openings are furnishedwith covers or closing slides, and are of course closed when the machineis in operation.

Power may be applied at any suitable point, either to the fan-shaft, thecentral shaft, F, or the shaft I.

In practice, a brush is placed beneath each screen, extending from thecentral shaft to the periphery of the screen, and capable of beingadjusted vertically in the same manner as the feed regulator, to causethe screens to be brushed with more or less force or pressure.

It is apparent that other devices will readily suggest themselves to themechanic familiar with the construction of machines of this class forvibrating the screens,such, for instance, as a crank or series oflevers. I

We are aware that in a midddlings-purifier a series of compartments hasbeen formed by the introduction of impervious endless belts between theseveral screens; but as in such case the endless belt or apron wasemployed to deliver the material falling upon it to the head of the nextscreen below, and as a space of greater or less size was necessarilyleft for the passage of the middlings, more or less air wouldnecessarily pass from one chamber to another, and consequently interferewith the regulation of the air-current in the respect ive chambers. Inour machine an air-tight diaphragm separates one screen-chamberfrom theIIO next, so that the regulation of the air-current in one is unaffectedby the current in others. Separate discharging devices being employed,the diaphragm may be made stationary, and in consequence is more readilyrendered air tight.

By the term horizontal screen, in the foregoing description is meant ascreen of disk form, Whether perfectly flat or slightly concave orconvex, operating in a horizontal position, in contradistinction to areel or cylinder.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, is-

1. In a middlings-purifier, a horizontal rotatin g screen of diskform,and means substantially such as described for imparting a vibratorymotion thereto.

2. Ina middlings-purifler, the combination of a suspended rotatingscreen having a central hub or boss, an eccentric located at one side ofthe hub, and a rod or pitman extendin g from the eccentric to the hub,whereby the rotation of the eccentric produces a vibration of thescreen.

3. In a middlings-purifier, the combination of the casing A,communicating with an exhaust-chamber, a series of screens mounted insaid casing, traveling discharge-beds located below the screens, andair-tight diaphragms independent of the discharge-beds, located betweenthe respective screens, whereby a separate chamber for each screen isprovided.

NICOLAS WEBER. [L. GEORGE H. HECTOR. [L. 8.]

Witnesses:

WILL. O. CANCLRELL, J osEF ULRIcH.

